Ashton-Kirk, who has solved so many mysteries, is himself something of a problem even to those who know him best. Although young, wealthy, and of high social position, he is nevertheless an indefatigable worker in his chosen field. He smiles when men call him a detective. "No; only an investigator," he says.
He has never courted notoriety; indeed, his life has been more or less secluded. However, let a man do remarkable work in any line and, as Emerson has observed, "the world will make a beaten path to his door."
Those who have found their way to Ashton-Kirk's door have been of many races and interests. Men of science have often been surprised to find him in touch with the latest discoveries, scholars searching among strange tongues and dialects, and others deep in tattered scrolls, ancient tablets and forgotten books have been his frequent visitors. But among them come many who seek his help in solving problems in crime.
"I'm more curious than some other fellows, that's all," is the way he accounts for himself. "If a puzzle is put in front of me I can't rest till I know the answer." At any rate his natural bent has always been to make plain the mysterious; each well hidden step in the perpetration of a crime has always been for him an exciting lure; and to follow a thread, snarled by circumstances or by another intelligence has been, he admits, his chief delight.
There are many strange things to be written of this remarkable man--but this, the case of the numismatist Hume, has been selected as the first because it is one of the simplest, and yet clearly illustrates Ashton-Kirk's peculiar talents. It will also throw some light on the question, often asked, as to how his cases come to him. (Summary by John T. McIntyre)
Narrated by Pete Milan
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M4B format available


This audio is part of the collection: The LibriVox Free Audiobook Collection
It also belongs to collections: Audio Books & Poetry; Community Audio

Artist/Composer: John Thomas McIntyre
Date: 2012-09-04
Source: Librivox recording of a public-domain text
Keywords: Detective; Mystery; Investigator; Murder; New York; Librivox; audio

Creative Commons license: Public Domain Mark 1.0

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Reviewer: NorfolkAJL - - September 22, 2012
Subject: Good Job
If you are into early 1900s detective fiction then this is certainly worth a listen. Excellently read.

Reviewer: Womandy - - September 15, 2012
Subject: Well dramatized by Pete Milan
Very enjoyable; a long story but the reader kept my attention all the way!
Thanks Pete!

Reviewer: mikezane - - September 14, 2012
Subject: Good story
I enjoyed the story, although it got a bit long-winded here and there. The main thing that kept me listening was the reader's most excellent voice acting. Amazing!!! This is definitely a keeper.

Reviewer: oldperson - - September 12, 2012
Subject: Ashton-Kirt, Investigator
This is worth listening to. The work by Peter Milan made was excellent and for such a long read very evenly done. Thanks for a great job on a good story.